Coming Out… Orthodox pt. 2

When deep desires whose genesis is beyond your control are spoken about hurtfully, ignored, shamed, and cause you feel “different” the result is so often pain, isolation, and fear. Combating the negative emotions that can often lead to depression or even suicide is crucial. There are a number of practical ways to combat these symptoms on the level of community; two I’ll discuss here are the need for role-models and the need to present an Orthodox-script as a response to the popular “gay-script.”

As a teenager I could never truly believe that people loved me until they knew that I had these gay desires. Any love they might have expressed, any solidarity they might have shown before they knew my secret, was questionable and might all be tossed away by my revelation. It is an incredibly unsettling thing for a young person to wonder if their parents, their priest, their closest friends will withhold love and protection because they have desires that are different. My fear was so great that when I ever disclosed my own struggle with same-sex attractions to the first few friends that text was all I could manage. The first confession I ever admitted that I was attracted to men I was so terrified of rejection and shame that my entire body was trembling. Each time I shared I received grace, but that made disclosing the thoughts I had day in and day out no easier.

When I came out to my roommate my sophomore year we had already been friends for a year. I listened to every word he said regarding gay people for any indication that he might reject me if he knew. After I shared and received deep grace and brotherhood I knew that it was time for my parents to know. They needed to know because I loved them and this was too great a burden to bear without them. My roommate knew my secret so I knew that at least there I’d be ok. Regardless of the last 18 years of my life and my parent’s obvious love, I still feared they might reject me. I’d heard too many stories of people like me whose parents rejected them because they were gay, maybe mine might too. So it was with every ounce of courage and conviction that I could muster, and through the prayers of the few friends who knew what I was about to do that I was finally able to say, “mom, dad, I’ve struggled with same-sex attractions for as long as I can remember.” I thank God every day for how He has blessed me and how my parents have never stopped loving or caring for me. In fact, they both have become some of my greatest influences in my ministry. Most of my friends still get a bit nervous when sharing their gay orientation with a friend, but it does get easier, much easier. You begin to realize that you are loved, and that love slowly seeps into your psyche allowing you to begin to feel safe, secure, and loveable.

Gay christian role-models

Part of practically overcoming the shame, loneliness and fear that can often come with same-sex desires is having openly known gay individuals in a community. This might provide another young boy or girl an example of how to wrestle with their sexuality as a faithful Orthodox Christian. I cannot tell you what a difference it might have made if I had known someone in my own church growing up who was gay. There are countless examples for straight teenagers of how to serve God faithfully in their sexuality, but very few for teenagers who, like me, feel so alone because they felt different. Dozens of gay role models exist outside the church. Anderson Cooper, Ellen, Neil Patrick Harris, Dan Savage, and dozens of YouTubers are just some of the many gay role models available outside the faith. In the absence of any faithful same-sex attracted Orthodox role models within communities, where will they turn? I found my own role models in the broader Christian church. Men and women like, Alan Chambers, Wesley Hill, Chad Thompson, Joe Dallas, and Melinda Selmys all became role models for how I might live faithfully with my own sexuality. But each of these lacked the Orthodox perspective and that shared faith. I will give Fr. Thomas Hopko the last word on this particular need.

The witness of Orthodox Christianity in the present world demands that there be Orthodox Christian men and women struggling by God’s grace to resist expressing their love for people of their own sex in sexual actions that some claim to be loving, but that they believe are betrayals of divine love. Humanity needs this courageous testimony more than ever before in its history. Those whom God calls to this ascetic feat are chosen to fight on the front lines of the spiritual battle of our time. They are among those most obviously called to be martyrs and confessors for Christ in humanity’s present condition. They, perhaps more than all others today, are blessed to bear witness to the truth that humanity’s enemy is everywhere and always the same for everyone. (Christian Faith and Same-Sex Attraction, pgs. 123-124)

An answer to the “gay-script”

Another practical reason for more open discussion in communities about homosexuality is to respond to the “gay-script.” Sexual Identity researcher Mark Yarhouse describes the “gay-script” as follows.

The confusing attractions that Chris [example figure] experiences are seen as natural and intended and blessed by God, placing a great emphasis on the sexual diversity seen in nature. They give way to discovery. They allow Chris to learn about who he really is. The attractions are central to his sense of himself as a person. This script tells Chris that no one can question or judge his behavior because same-sex behavior is merely an expression of his central identity. Finally in our culture today, a culture that emphasizes “self-actualization” (realization of a person’s potential) and is saturated in messages about the pleasures of sex, Chris receives the message that he has every right to act according to his sexual identity. (Homosexuality and the Christian, pgs. 47-53)

This “gay-script” is such a compelling story of self-discovery and freedom. When young people have this appealing script presented by culture and hear very little from the Church—and often what they do hear is an oversimplification of homosexuality claiming it can easily be changed or cured by prayer—it is easy to predict which they will choose. As Orthodox Christians the script we can offer to our gay brothers and sisters is the same that we offer to all. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind and so becoming “partakers of the Divine Nature.” A script of love and acceptance without same-sex sexual behavior can be a positive and compelling message when discussed within a context of compassion and understanding. Yarhouse speaks about the Christian Script, “ This script relies on the metaphor of integration rather than discovery. […] rather than focus on an identity that is a negative (not gay), they form an identity that is “in Christ,” a positive sense of themselves and their sense of purpose and community that is based on the redemptive work of Christ in their own lives.”

Fr. Hopko in his book Christian Faith and Same-Sex Attraction presents, what I might call, the Orthodox Script,

Orthodox Christians believe every human being is called to conquer humanity’s enemy [self-love, self-will, self-affirmation, and self-delusion] through God’s power. They believe this is possible through Christ, who is Himself “the power of God” that conquers (1 Cor. 1:24). Christians consciously avail themselves of God’s power in Christ by being crucified to the world with Jesus and by being raised with Him to “newness of life” (Gal. 6:14; Rom. 6:3-4). They are convinced that this is all God wants of them and for them. Their only prayer, therefore, is Christ’s own: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36). (Hopko, pgs. 124-125.)

Faithfully presenting this script in a way that is honest but not combative, and faithful but not judgmental, and as an attractive alternative to the “gay-script” is crucially important if we wish to speak into the lives and choices of gay teens and adults. This script is no different for any other Orthodox Christian and has always been the safe haven for the refugees of this broken world. It is easy however when speaking this message to persons with a gay orientation to allow our own judgmental nature and our own fears to interfere. While the Orthodox script is no different at the core, each group and person will hear it most clearly when it is addressed to their unique hardships and struggles. For a same-sex attracted person these struggles will often be loneliness, shame, isolation, fear, and self-hate. Addressing these unique needs must accompany any compelling witness and might be the beginning of slowly learning to “speak the truth in love” to gay members who experience loneliness, shame, and so much fear.

9 responses

Rosie

thank you for this. you’re in my prayers. I wanted to introduce you to Steve Gershom (www.stevegershom.com) a pseudonym for a Catholic man living chastely with same-sex attraction. He writes about many of these issues and he’s very encouraging and a wonderful witness to the truth and compassion of Christian teaching on SSA.

08.26.12 at 8:56pm

Steven

Gregg,

Another great post. Your ability to shed more light on the relationship between SSA and the Orthodox Church has been crucial and much needed.

Thanks for the recommendation! I’ve been following Steve for awhile and consider him to be a good friend of mine, his stuff is great!

08.26.12 at 11:32pm

jpd7906

Gregg;
Thanks for sharing so courageously from your own journey. Your voice is so important and is no doubt providing strength and encouragement for so many others traveling a similar road. God’s blessing and peace be with you brother!

Gregg, While I respect your views, have you ever considered that maybe the Holy Orthodox Church is wrong on this issue? They have been wrong on other issues of ethics and morality. In her mercy, the Church allows three and even four marriages for heterosexuals. In her mercy the Church should allow gay people to celebrate their love in the sanctity of holy crowning. Then you would have role models in the Church. The Exodus model of Alan Chambers is simply folly and can be dangerous. There are better gay role models than Anderson Cooper and Ellen and other Hollywood types. Just as there are better examples of heterosexuals than Charlie Sheen and the Kardashians. There are those gay couples you never hear about, working hard, paying taxes, and in stable relationships trying to live good and moral lives. With all due respect to Father Hopko, he is on the wrong side of this issue from a sound pastoral perspective. Just as the Church – or at least the vast majority of priests – have ceased to remove non-Orthodox from the church at the Litany of Catechumens, so the Church must also recognize biological facts and accept gay people as God created them, in love and with the ability to love and create stable relationships.

Very powerful as always. Please continue to do this work, we need this for the Church. Having come from a non-theistic background and once supporting gay marriage, I understand (though by no means as powerfully or as well as you) the struggles that you go through and the bigotries that you face. Your courage is inspiring.

Andrily,

The Church never allows for a fourth marriage; it will only allow 3 on certain circumstances, and each marriage after the first is penitential in feel and done in the scope of oikonimia. This isn’t possible for SSA since by its very nature, the expression of SSA is a perversion of the Christ/Church revelation of sexual activity (you can’t have two Christs, nor can you have two Churches). The non-removal of Orthodox from the Liturgy is to prevent sectarianism, at least from my understanding. This is in no way analogous to SSA.

To claim that God made people with SSA ‘that way’ opens a floodgate of problems. Does God make people transgender? Does he make them with mental handicaps? Does he make them with missing limbs? The traditional response, as far as I know, is no, He does not. Rather, these things happen because we live in a fallen world — Hopko specifically goes over that in the book that Gregg cites, if I remember correctly.

Nick,
Thank you for your remarks on my comment to Gregg. There are several issues you raise that I would like to address.
1) You say that the Church never allows for a fourth marriage. This is not true. The late Father Meyendorff in his book on marriage does list a few times that fourth marriages have taken place. Usually these were Emperors and other people of influence and means. I am positive, if only from my own experience of being a parish priest, as well as the years I spent working in the office of my Metropolitan, that numerous other blessings, under the guise of pastoral prudence or mercy or oikonimia, for a fourth marriage have been granted. These do not usually make it into the scholarly works or even into the diocesan newspapers. In my opinion, it is never a good idea to say that the Church has never permitted something.
2) Your comment that the second marriage is penitential in nature is of course true. I could make the argument that all of the mysteries as celebrated in the Church have a penitential element to a greater or lesser extent.
3) Same sex attraction and expressions are not perverted. God made me and countless other gay people and also implanted within us the desire and ability to love, express that love in a sexual way. This is simple biology. No one chooses their sexual orientation, only their actions. Heterosexuals not called to celibacy are allowed and indeed encouraged to date and marry. That marriage is celebrated in the Church. Homosexuals should be allowed the same option to be married in the Church.
4) I am confused by your comment on sectarianism. My point was that the Church now abstains from certain actions that once were part of its rituals and habits and has adopted others that were once considered unfathomable. Dismissing catechumens was once normal within the Church and is no longer practiced except in some symbolic fashion. Praying with Roman Catholics, non-Chalcedonians and Protestants was once a sign of apostasy (I know that some Orthodox still hold to this view.) But all you have to do is to casually look through the various websites of SCOBA jurisdictions to see numerous Orthodox bishops and priests publically praying with non-Orthodox prelates , priests and ministers. These occasions happen during national observations such as Thanksgiving Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July etc. Therefore the Church should, in light of modern day biological science, begin to marry same sex couples in the Church.
5) Why are you concerned that even discussing this issue in a rational way might open a floodgate? Should the Church just sit in its cathedrals and dream about the past glories of the eighth century? The Church dealt with marriages between Orthodox Christians and other baptized Christians – it can, by the power of the Holy Spirit, manage to pastorally and sacramentally address the issue of same-sex attraction.
6) Concerning people who are transgendered, or mentally handicapped or born without limbs, if God does not make them, then who does? Would you tell grieving parents that their newborn child with a genetic disorder is a result of the fall?
7) Concerning Father Hopko. With all due respect to the venerable father, he is simply wrong on numerous issues and pastorally imprudent on others when it comes to gay people and homosexuality. I have addressed his book as well as the work by Archbishop Lazar (OCA) on my website.
Sincerely, Andriy
orthodoxandgay.com

Rather than hi-jack Gregg’s post, I will be responding to this on my WordPress in the future. Needless to say we disagree on some fundamental things, but I think a furthered discussion should take place elsewhere.

We are trying to listen, wholeheartedly and sincerely listen to the voice of God. Often, however, we cannot discern His voice. His words, which we trust to be true and loving and good, are mingled with the vinegar and gall of the world around us. Each of us has sensed this fallen bitterness on our tongue, but we do whatever we can to partake of the sweetness that is Christ. We stand and wait. We respond vigorously to the calls of our family, the Church. We pray and we suffer tragedies and we pray. We pray and we sin and we pray. And we ask God to speak through us (regarding all things); we ask Him to work through our hands and fingers, and to bring us closer to His own glory. We reflect on the beauty of creation and we put all our hope in the Lord.